NASA photos show lake in Death Valley remaining in place

(NBC, KYMA/KECY) - In Death Valley, one of the hottest and driest places in the country, visitors have been able to water after an unexpected lake formed.

The Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park is usually a dry salt flat bottom. That changed in August when heavy rains from Hurricane Hilary saturated the area and a temporary lake formed.

Months later, new satellite images from NASA show the lake is still there.

It was replenished by the string of powerful storms that have hit California recently due to the so-called "atmospheric river" sweeping across the region.

In the past six month, Death Valley has received nearly five inches of rain, murriore than double the amount that usually falls over 12 months.